How to do a wall sit
The wall sit is a hold, not a moving exercise: you sit against a wall with your thighs level and your legs do the work of keeping you there. It builds leg endurance with no equipment and very little skill.
Step by step
- Stand with your back against a wall, feet hip-width apart and about half a metre in front of it.
- Slide your back down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Adjust your feet so your knees sit directly over your ankles, bent at about 90 degrees.
- Keep your back and head on the wall and your arms by your sides or folded across your chest.
- Hold for your target time, then slide back up the wall to stand.
Common mistakes the coach checks
- Hips too high. Slide down until your thighs are parallel to the floor and your knees are over your ankles.
- Leaning forward. Keep your whole back and head against the wall.
Sets and reps
Start with 3 holds of 20 to 30 seconds with a minute of rest between them. Add 10 seconds to each hold as you get stronger, working up to a minute or more.
Make it easier or harder
- Easier: Sit a little higher, with your knees bent less than 90 degrees, or hold for less time.
- Harder: Rest a weight on your thighs, lift one foot off the floor, or hold for longer.
Stay safe
Keep your knees over your ankles, not past your toes. If your knees ache, sit higher; stand up straight away if you feel sharp pain.
Check your form with the AI coach
Prop your phone at knee height, 2 m to your side, so your whole body is in view. Side-on I can check that your thighs stay level and your back stays on the wall. Then press Start training and go: there's nothing to pick, the AI detects that you're doing wall sit, counts your reps and tells you out loud when your form slips.
Start trainingJust counting? See the free AI rep counter.